Automatic rail cleaner

ABSTRACT

An automatic cleaner for rails in provision companies and the like. A carriage has a motor-driven trolley wheel riding upon the top of the rail. A frame, suspended from the carriage, carries a brush-driving motor having an upright motor shaft with a rotary brush at the upper end thereof for cleaning one side of the rail. A shaft parallel to the motor shaft is operatively connected thereto as by gears, and has a rotary brush at its upper end for cleaning the other side of the rail. The upper portions of the motor shaft and parallel shaft are flexible and are connected to solenoids which are energized whenever the brush shafts approach one of the shaft hangers, so as to flex the upper end of one shaft enough to pass the brush thereon around the rail hanger and the upper end of the other shaft enough to pass the brush thereon around the boltheads connecting the rail to the hanger. A third vertical shaft parallel to the motor shaft has a rotary brush at its upper end and is located forwardly of the motor shaft and connected thereto as by pulleys and belt. A fourth brush, depending from the carriage, passes between each hanger and the adjacent side of the rail to clean the same. A vacuum cleaner device of conventional construction is mounted on the carriage for picking up dust and dirt removed from the rail by the brushes.

United States Patent Rainey et al. I

[54] AUTOMATIC RAIL CLEANER [72] Inventors: George E. Rainey, Canton; Donald H.

Heidmeyer; Donald E. Davis, both of Massillon, all of Ohio [73] Assignee: Klenco Corp., Massillon, Ohio [22] Filed: Mar. 11, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 18,536

[52] U.S.Cl. ...15/312 R, 15/21 E, l5/77 1 Feb. 15,1972

Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore Attorney-Hamilton, Cook, Renner & Kenner [57] ABSTRACT ries a brush-driving motor having an upright motor shaft with a rotary brush at the upper end thereof for cleaning one side of the rail. A shaft parallel to the motor shaft is operatively connected thereto as by gears, and has a rotary brush at its upper end for cleaning the other side of the rail. The upper portions of the motor shafi and parallel shaft are flexible and are connected to solenoids which are energized whenever the brush shafts approach one of the shaft hangers, so as to flex the upper end of one shaft enough to pass the brush thereon around the rail hanger and the upper end of the other shaft enough to pass the brush thereon around the boltheads connecting the rail to the hanger. A third vertical shaft parallel to the motor shaft has a rotary brush at its upper end and is located forwardly of the motor shaft and connected thereto as by pulleys and belt. A fourth brush, depending from the carriage, passes between each hanger and the adjacent side of the rail to'clean the same. A vacuum cleaner device of conventional construction is mounted on the carriage for picking up dust and dirt removed from the rail by the brushes.

11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEBFEB 15 I972 3,641,618

sum 1 OF 2 l N VEN'IORS ATTORNEYS and fiolzahiEDzww AUTOMATIC RAIL CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to an automatic rail cleaner for cleaning the rails used in provision companies upon which trolleys are moved carrying the carcasses. The automatic rail cleaner includes a carriage having a motor-driven trolley wheel which rides upon the top of the rail to move the carriage slowly along the rail.

The carriage has a frame suspended therefrom, below the rail, carrying upright motor-driven rotary brushes for contacting opposite sides of the rail. The upper ends of the brush shafts are flexible and are connected to solenoids adapted to be energized by limit switches upon the carriage for flexing the brushes outwardly away from the rail in order to pass around the conventional hangers connected to one side of the rail and the bolt heads upon the other side of the rail connecting the same to the hangers. p A third upright rotary brush, parallel to and forward of the brush upon the motor shaft, is connected thereto as by pulleys and belt and a fourth brush depends from the carriage for passing between each hanger and the adjacent'side of the rail. A conventional vacuum cleaning device is suspended from the carriage for picking up dirt and dust removed from the rail by the brushes.

2. Description 'of the Prior Art It is known that there have been devices made for cleaning such rails. However, noneof such rail-cleaning devices of which applicants have knowledge is a self-propelled device for moving along the rail and none of them show apphicants particular arrangement of rotary brushes on a traveling carriage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general terms, the invention may be briefly described as comprising a carriage having a motor-driven trolley wheel and a guide roller for riding upon the top edge of the rail. A frame is suspended from the carriage and carries a motor for driving a pair of parallel upright rotary brushes for contacting opposite sides of the rail.

One of the brushes is mountedupon the upper end of the motor shaft and the other brush is mounted upon the upper end of a shaft parallel with the motor shaft and operatively connected thereto as by gears.

The upper ends of the brush shafts are flexible and are connected to oppositely disposed solenoids adapted to be energized by limit switches upon the carriage for flexing the brushes away from the rail so that they may pass around the conventional hangers for the rails and the heads of the bolts connecting the rail to the hangers.

A third vertical rotary brush is located parallel to and just forward of the motor shaft and operatively connected thereto as by a belt and pulley for cleaning the boltheads and the portion of that side of the rail immediately thereabove.

A fourth brush is provided which depends from the carriage and is adapted to pass between each hanger and the adjacent side of the rail for cleaning the same.

A conventional vacuum cleaning device, including motordriven fan, suction nozzle and bag, is carried by the carriage for picking up dust and dirt removed from the rails by the brushes.

A timing device is electrically connected to the limit switch which operates to energize the solenoid connected to the flexible brush shaft which passes around the boltheads.

A limit switch is provided at the front end of the carriage adaptedto ride upon thetop of the rail to automatically open upon encountering any break in the rail so as to shut off the motor driving the carriage.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide an automatic rail-cleaning device which moves along the rail electrically powered.

Another object is to provide such a device having rotary brushes and/or gears, belts and the like, powered by a motor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail-cleaning device of this character in which the brushes are affixed to a series of shafts mounted in a frame in a manner which allows a brush to rotate against each surface of a rail to be cleaned.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a device in which the brushes are mounted upon flexible shafts connected to solenoids which are energized by limit switches to flex the brushes away from the conventional hangers which support the rails and the boltheads which connect the rail to the hangers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail cleaner of the character described having a conventional vacuum device which picks up the residue cleaned from the rails by the brushes and deposits it in a container for disposal.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a railcleaning device having a brush depending from the carriage and adapted to pass between each hanger and the adjacent side of the rail.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a railcleaning device of this type in which a vertically disposed rotary brush is located just forward of the motor shaft and operatively connected thereto as by a belt and pulleys.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and subcombinations comprising the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, a preferred embodiment of which-illustrative of the best mode in which applicants have contemplated applying the principles-is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an automatic rail cleaner embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the automatic rail cleaner shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section through the rail cleaner on the line 44, FIG. 2, showing the two vertical brushes with flexible shafts retracted by their respective solenoids;

FIG, 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the front end showing the limit switch at the front of the carriage opened because of a break in the rail;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan section on the line 6-6, FIG.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section through the vertical brush shafts on the line 7-7, FIG. 2, to show the gears, pulleys and belt for driving two of the brushes from the motor shaft; and

FIG. 8 is a wiring diagram for the automatic rail cleaner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout.

A portion of a rail, such as is used in provision companies and the like upon which trolleys are moved carrying the carcasses, is indicated generally at 1. These rails are formed from a flat strip of steelabout 2% inches high and 1% inch wide. These rails are ordinarily suspended upon spaced hangers 2, the lower ends of which are inclined toward the rail as at 3 and connected to the lower edge portion of the rail as by bolts 4,

the heads 5 of which are located on the opposite side of the rail 1 from the hangers 2. v

The automatic rail cleaner comprises a carriage 6 having a trolley wheel 7 which rides upon the top of the rail 1. The trolley wheel has a gear wheel 8 fixed thereto, driven by a suitable gear reduction 9, rotated by the motor 10 for driving the carriage along the rail 1 at desired speed.

A bar 11 depends from the carriage 6 and has a frame 12 supported at its lower end. A brush driving motor 13 is supported by the frame 12. The vertical motor shaft 14 is located through suitable bearings 15 upon the frame 12 and the upper portion 16 of the shaft 14 is flexible.

A brush 17 is carried at the upper end of the shaft 14 for contacting one side of the rail 1. A shaft 18 is located parallel to the motor shaft 14 and operatively connected thereto as by gears 19 (FIG. 7). The upper portion 20 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the shaft 18 is flexible and a brush 21 is mounted at its upper end and adapted to contact the other side of the rail 1.

A solenoid 22 is disposed transversely outward from the motor shaft 14 and the armature 23 of the solenoid is connected to the flexible portion 16 ofsaid shaft.

A limit switch 24, carried by the carriage, is adapted to be automatically closed, as it contacts the first bolthead 5 of each hanger 2, to energize the solenoid 22 causing the armature 23 thereof to flex the flexible portion 16 of the motor shaft 14 moving the rotary brush 17 outward so as not to strike the bolthead or heads 5 connecting that hanger to the rail 1.

A timer 25 is electrically connected to the switch 24 and solenoid 22 so as to properly time the energizing of the solenoid 22 forpassing around either one or two boltheads 5, as the case may be.

A solenoid 26 is located transversely outward from the parallel shaft 18 and the armature 27 thereof is connected to the flexible portion 20 of said shaft (FIG. 3). A limit switch 28 upon the carriage is adapted to be closed by contact with the inner side of each hanger 2 so as to energize the solenoid 26, causing the armature 27 thereof to flex the flexible upper portion 20 of the shaft 18 outward moving the brush 21 around the hanger 2.

A vertical shaft 29, parallel to and located forwardly of the motor shaft 14, is journaled on the frame 12 and has a brush upon its upper end. The shaft 29 is flexible so that the brush 30 will pass over the boltheads 5 and clean the surface of the rail 1 directly thereabove.

The shaft 29 of the front brush 30 is operatively connected to the drive motor shaft 14 as by belt and pulley drive indicated generally at 3011 for rotating the front brush 30 from the motor shaft.

A nonrotatable brush 31 depends from the carriage 6 and is so located that it will pass between each hanger 2 and the adjacent side of the rail 1 to clean the same.

A vacuum cleaner housing 32 is suspended below the carriage 6 and has a conventional vacuum fan 33 driven by motor 34 and a nozzle 35 for picking up dirt and dust cleaned from the rail by the brushes and conveying it to a suitable bag or receptacle indicated generally at 36.

For the purpose of automatically stopping the carriage in the event it approaches a break in the rail 1, a normally closed limit switch 37 is located at the forward end of the carriage and may have the guide roller 38 journaled thereon and adapted to travel upon the top of the rail 1.

In FIG. 8 is shown a wiring diagram of the automatic rail cleaner. The wires 39 and 40 may be enclosed in a flexible cord adapted to be plugged into a conventional receptacle in power lines 41 and 42. This cord may be wound upon a retriever as is common with the cords of vacuum cleaners.

A manually operated switch 43 closes the circuit to the drive motor 10, the revolving brush motor 13 and the vacuum fan motor 34. Rotation of the trolley wheel 7 will cause the carriage 6, and the elements supported thereby, to ride along the rail 1.

As the carriage approaches a hanger 2, the limit switches 24 and 28 will be automatically closed by contact with a bolthead 5 and with the hanger 2 respectively, energizing the solenoids 22 and 26 to cause the flexible portions 16 and 20 of the shafts l4 and 18 to be pulled outwardly transversely by the armatures 23 and 27 respectively, pulling the rotary brushes 17 and 21 away from the boltheads 5 and the hanger 2, respectively.

The timer 25, associated with the limit switch 24, holds the brush 17 out of contact with a bolthead 5 for a predetermined period. Thus, after the limit switch 24 has passed out of contact with the first bolthead 5 permitting the switch 24 to open,

the timer will be automatically holding the brush 17 away from the first bolthead 5 until after it has passed beyond the same.

Thus, if there are two bolts connecting each hanger 2 to the rail 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the timer is so arranged and adjusted that it will hold the brush 17 in retracted position until the switch 24 contacts the second bolthead 5 causing the timer to hold the solenoid 22 energized for another predetermined period of time as the brush 17 passes around the second bolthead.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, the operation, and use of the preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful construction, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the disclosure.

We claim:

1. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail, power means for moving said carriage upon the rail, rotary brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, individual rotary shafts on opposite sides of the rail upon which each of said brushes are mounted for axial rotation, power means for rotating said shafts, and means for moving said shafts toward and away from said rail.

2. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail suspended upon hangers, power means for moving said carriage upon the rail, brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, a rotary shaft having a flexible portion upon which the brush upon one side of the rail is mounted. and means for moving said brush upon said one side of the rail transversely outward.

3. An automatic rail cleaner as defined in claim 2 in which the means for moving said brush upon one side of the rail is a solenoid, the armature of which is operatively connected to the flexible portion of said shaft.

4. An automatic rail cleaner as defined in claim 3 in which there is a normally open limit switch upon the carriage located in the electric circuit to the solenoid, said limit switch being adapted to be closed by contact with each hanger.

5. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail suspended upon hangers, said hangers being located on one side of the rail, bolts connecting the rail to the hangers, the heads of the bolts being located on the other side of the rail, rotary shafts upon the carriage, a portion of each shaft being flexible, brushes upon said shafts for contacting each side of the rail, means for moving the brush on one side of the rail transversely outward, and means for moving the brush on the other side of the rail transversely outward.

6. An automatic rail cleaner as defined in claim 5 in which the means for moving each of said brushes transversely outward around the hangers and boltheads is a solenoid, the armature of which is connected to the flexible portion of the corresponding shaft.

7. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail suspended upon hangers, each hanger being spaced from the adjacent side of the rail, power means for moving said carriage upon the rails, brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, means for moving the brush on one side of the rail transversely outward, and a brush depending from the carriage and adapted to pass between each hanger and the adjacent side ofthe rail.

8. An automatic rail cleaner as defined in claim 7 in which said depending brush has a flexible shaft that will allow the brush to give way and clean behind each hanger.

9. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail, power means for moving said carriage upon the rail, rotary brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, a motor operatively connected to said brushes, one of the brushes being mounted upon the motor shaft, a shaft parallel to the motor shaft, belt and pulley means connecting said second-named shaft to the motor shaft, a flexible shaft located parallel to and in front of the motor shaft, belt and pulley means connecting said flexible shaft to the motor shaft, and a rotary brush upon the end of said flexible shaft.

10. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail suspended upon hangers, said hangers being located upon one side of the rail, bolts connecting the rail to the hangers, the heads of the bolts being located on the other side of the rail, power means for moving said carriage upon the rail, brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, means for moving the brush on said one side of the rail transversely outward around each hanger, the brush on said other side of the rail being mounted upon a rotary shaft a portion of which is flexible, and means for moving said last-named brush outward away from the boltheads, said means comprising an electric circuit, a solenoid in said circuit, the armature of said solenoid being operatively connected to the flexible portion of said rotary shaft, and a normally open limit switch mounted upon the carriage and located in said circuit and adapted to be closed by contact with a bolthead.

l 1. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail, power means for moving said carriage upon the rail, said power means comprising an electric motor, an electric circuit to said motor, a limit switch in said circuit carried at the forward end of said carriage and normally held closed by contact with the top of the rail, said limit switch being arranged to automatically open if it encounters a break in the rail so as to open the circuit to said motor and stop movement of the carriage, and brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail.

* l IF 

1. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail, power means for moving said carriage upon the rail, rotary brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, individual rotary shafts on opposite sides of the rail upon which each of said brushes are mounted for axial rotation, power means for rotating said shafts, and means for moving said shafts toward and away from said rail.
 2. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail suspended upon hangers, power means for moving said carriage upon the rail, brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of tHe rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, a rotary shaft having a flexible portion upon which the brush upon one side of the rail is mounted, and means for moving said brush upon said one side of the rail transversely outward.
 3. An automatic rail cleaner as defined in claim 2 in which the means for moving said brush upon one side of the rail is a solenoid, the armature of which is operatively connected to the flexible portion of said shaft.
 4. An automatic rail cleaner as defined in claim 3 in which there is a normally open limit switch upon the carriage located in the electric circuit to the solenoid, said limit switch being adapted to be closed by contact with each hanger.
 5. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail suspended upon hangers, said hangers being located on one side of the rail, bolts connecting the rail to the hangers, the heads of the bolts being located on the other side of the rail, rotary shafts upon the carriage, a portion of each shaft being flexible, brushes upon said shafts for contacting each side of the rail, means for moving the brush on one side of the rail transversely outward, and means for moving the brush on the other side of the rail transversely outward.
 6. An automatic rail cleaner as defined in claim 5 in which the means for moving each of said brushes transversely outward around the hangers and boltheads is a solenoid, the armature of which is connected to the flexible portion of the corresponding shaft.
 7. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail suspended upon hangers, each hanger being spaced from the adjacent side of the rail, power means for moving said carriage upon the rails, brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, means for moving the brush on one side of the rail transversely outward, and a brush depending from the carriage and adapted to pass between each hanger and the adjacent side of the rail.
 8. An automatic rail cleaner as defined in claim 7 in which said depending brush has a flexible shaft that will allow the brush to give way and clean behind each hanger.
 9. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail, power means for moving said carriage upon the rail, rotary brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, a motor operatively connected to said brushes, one of the brushes being mounted upon the motor shaft, a shaft parallel to the motor shaft, belt and pulley means connecting said second-named shaft to the motor shaft, a flexible shaft located parallel to and in front of the motor shaft, belt and pulley means connecting said flexible shaft to the motor shaft, and a rotary brush upon the end of said flexible shaft.
 10. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail suspended upon hangers, said hangers being located upon one side of the rail, bolts connecting the rail to the hangers, the heads of the bolts being located on the other side of the rail, power means for moving said carriage upon the rail, brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail, means for moving the brush on said one side of the rail transversely outward around each hanger, the brush on said other side of the rail being mounted upon a rotary shaft a portion of which is flexible, and means for moving said last-named brush outward away from the boltheads, said means comprising an electric circuit, a solenoid in said circuit, the armature of said solenoid being operatively connected to the flexible portion of said rotary shaft, and a normally open limit switch mounted upon the carriage and located in said circuit and adapted to be closed by contact with a bolthead.
 11. An automatic rail cleaner comprising a carriage for riding upon the top of a rail, power means for moving said caRriage upon the rail, said power means comprising an electric motor, an electric circuit to said motor, a limit switch in said circuit carried at the forward end of said carriage and normally held closed by contact with the top of the rail, said limit switch being arranged to automatically open if it encounters a break in the rail so as to open the circuit to said motor and stop movement of the carriage, and brushes upon said carriage for contacting opposite sides of the rail as the carriage is moved along the rail. 